Dame Prue Leith has never been interested in ‘formal’ fitness. ‘I find exercise for the sake of exercise painful and unbelievably boring,’ the formerBake Off host told The Mirror, describing her dislike of structured training.
‘Being tortured on a Pilates reformer machine, forcing oneself out into the rain to go running or doing push-ups on the bedroom floor are all variations of hell for me,’ the 86-year-old said. ‘Ditto yoga, steps, spinning and the rest.’
But in her eighties, Prue has quietly reinvented her approach to exercise – not because she suddenly fell in love with the gym, but because she realised she needed it.
The turning point
A fall several years ago changed her perspective.
‘A couple of years ago I fell at our train station and it’s taken me two years to recover,’ she told The Express. ‘My main worry is falling over. You don’t want to break a leg or hip at my age. I think if I can keep everything working, I will be OK.’
That shift in mindset led her to incorporate functional training into her routine. ‘I do exercise 1772285353. I have a personal trainer who comes once or twice a week.’ She’s still candid about how she feels. ‘If I have an excuse to cancel then I do it because I don’t enjoy it,’ she added wryly.
Dia Dipasupil
Functional training focuses on movements that support everyday life – like standing up from a chair, stepping up, reaching, balancing and stabilising. Rather than isolating muscles, it builds strength, coordination and joint stability in ways that translate directly to real life.
And there’s strong evidence behind it. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that strength and balance training can significantly reduce fall risk in older adults.
Still her way
Working with a PT marks a departure from her previous habits. ‘At various times in my life, I’ve joined gyms that I never went to. I’ve made countless resolutions about exercise and diet that I’ve never stuck to. The worst kind of exercise is when it’s non-competitive, like… going to the gym,’ she revealed to The Mirror.
But Prue still prefers movement that feels purposeful and social. ‘I love tennis because it’s sociable and there’s a chance you’ll win. I love riding because it’s exhilarating, and you can do it in a gang,’ she said. ‘Weekends at home in the country offered long walks, and more tennis and riding.’
Her broader health philosophy remains holistic. ‘It’s all about the serotonin levels in the brain,’ she told The Sunday Post. ‘If you can be optimistic and forward-looking and don’t brood about the things that go wrong… I also sleep well and eat well, and I have a lovely husband.’
She may not enjoy structured workouts, but at 86, Prue understands what they’re for: staying independent and able to keep doing the things she loves.
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